Ben Markley Big Band With Ari Hoenig

Ari’s Funhouse

Origin, 2022

8/10

Listen to Ari’s Funhouse

The composer, arranger and pianist Ben Markley brings along a large handful of musicians for this occasion, including the drum extraordinaire Ari Hoenig, and it results in 7 giant, boisterous and solo filled tunes.

“Birdless” starts the listen with bright brass alongside swift keys and Steve Kovalcheck’s intricate guitar that makes an indelible impact, and “Lyric” follows with John Gunther’s tenor sax illuminating the timeless jazz flavor.

In the middle, “Bert’s Playground” emits a very stylish demeanor thanks to Evan Gregor’s bass and Paul McKee’s trombone, while “For Tracy” displays Greg Gisbert’s trumpet alongside Markley’s graceful piano playing.

Moving along, “Arrows And Loops” puts Hoenig’s exceptional drumming front and center amid Wil Swindler’s radiant sax and the warm grooves, and “Green Spleen” exits the listen with Peter Sommer’s tenor sax and Kovalcheck’s meticulous guitar complementing Markley’s key acrobatics.

An aptly titled record, each track present carves out it own unique fun, and the abundance of players in attendance allows for each track to radiate in its own light and is sure not to be missed for those with an inclination for big band sounds.

Travels well with: Rich Pellegrin- Passage; Hal Galper Trio- Invitation To Openness

Forest Sun

Follow The Love

Painted Sun, 2022

8/10

Listen to Follow The Love

The San Francisco Bay singer-songwriter Forest Sun returns with 15 tunes of his diverse brand of gospel that welcomes friends on strings, harmony vocals, brass and plenty of different kinds of guitars.

“Follow The Love” opens the listen with warm acoustic guitar and poetic singing in the bare, folk-friendly climate, and “Wildflowers” continues with melodic banjo adding much to the rootsy flavor of the breezy setting.

Elsewhere, “Take Me Home” picks up the pace a bit with plenty of soul entering the agile drumming and smooth vocal harmonies, while “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” puts a very fun spin on the classic with Sun’s version of Americana radiating bright.

Closer to the end, “Magpie”, a murder ballad, brings Gabe Witcher on fiddle and Mike Witcher on dobro as the haunting moments are met with much grace, and “Sleepyhead” exits the listen upbeat, dance-friendly and with a retro-jazz spirit.

An artist with a large bag of influences and who’s got plenty of stories to tell, whether this is your first experience of you’re a longtime fan, you’re going to want to hear more.

Travels well with: Peter Mulvey- There Is Another World; Mason Jennings- Real Heart

Jeremy Garrett

River Wild

Organic, 2022

8/10

Listen to River Wild

Jeremy Garrett has made quite a name for himself playing with the Grammy winning outfit Stringdusters, and here he returns to his bluegrass roots with a very diverse and accomplished batch of mostly originals, some of which are instrumentals.

“I Am The River Wild” opens the listen with Garrett’s expressive singing and warm fiddle complemented by Seth Taylor’s guitar and Russell Carson’s banjo in the cautious, rootsy setting, and “What’s That You’re Doin’?” follows with swift string acrobatics thanks to Alan Bibey’s mandolin and Gena Britt’s banjo as a timeless bluegrass climate unfolds.

Further along, “Foxtail” displays meticulous picking from Garrett, Bibey and Ryan Cavanaugh’s banjo in the sublime instrumental landscape, while “Once You’re Gone” welcomes Josh Shilling’s glorious harmony vocals amid Barry Bales’ strategic bass and Bibey’s incredible mandolin in the album’s best.

Deeper still, the setting enters balladry with Bill Monroe’s emotive “Kentucky Waltz”, and “Burning The Slash” exits the listen with just Garett solo on fiddle in the stunning execution of string manipulation.

For fans of bluegrass, new and old, it just doesn’t get much better than this, as Garrett and company glide through pop, newgrass and soulful textures.

Travels well with: Balsam Range- Moxie And Mettle; Dale Ann Bradley- Things She Couldn’t Get Over

Yannick Rieu Génération Quartet

Qui Qu’en Grogne

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to Qui Qu’en Grogne

Yannick Rieu knows his way around a saxophone. In fact, he’s so versed in the instrument he was became the 18th recipient of the Oscar Peterson Award, which honors his contributions to the Canadian jazz scene.

Here, along with Gentiane Michaud-Gagnon (piano), Guy Boisvert (bass) and Louis-Vincent Hamel (drums), he brings us songs that revisit his roots with songs steeped in the classic jazz quartet tradition.

The title track opens the listen with a warm and quick pace of soulful sax, agile keys and frisky drumming in a timeless jazz sort of way, and “Song Sisters” follows with a calmer display of elegant, textured beauty that’s quite heartfelt.

“Time Is, Life Was” resides in the middle, and showcases Rieu’s rich sax prowess amid the reflective climate, while “Le Philosophe” benefits much from the very adventurous delivery from the drums and keys near the end.

The final two tracks, “Pharaon” and “Porta di Cinese”, don’t disappoint either, where the former emits much warmth before building into an emotive, powerful demeanor, and the latter allows the bass to shine alongside the dynamic brass and drumming acrobatics.

A technically proficient and very diverse outing, both the past and future of jazz are touched upon here, as Rieu and company provide much melody, beauty and mystery that’s immediately gripping.

Travels well with: Yves Léveillé- L'échelle du temps; Karl Silveira- A Porta Aperta

The Sonic Arts Ensemble

Live From The Multiverse

Ravello, 2022

8/10

Listen to Live From The Multiverse

A very atypical listen that mashes online performance with contemporary chamber sounds, The Sonic Arts Ensemble brings musicians from 3 continents for these 5 pieces that truly defy classification.

“Into The Multiverse” opens the listen with Jacob Kopcienski on extended sax, Madeleine Shapiro handling cello and vocal sounds and Marc Ainger navigating laptop on the very curious, atmospheric lead off track, and this creativity extends to “Quintet/Trio”, where Ann Stinson’s flute and Scott Deal’s percussion contribute much to the nearly sci-fi textures.

“A Rising Tide Of Light”, the best track, lands in the middle, and recruits Norah Zuniga-Shaw’s voice, James Croson’s keys, and Berenice Llorens’ guitar for a very dreamy, psychedelic exploration of chamber prog-rock ideas, while “Octet/Sextet” makes great use of Joseph Sferra’s clarinet, Samuel Gardner’s keys and Ainger’s laptop manipulation into a very distinct electronic influenced landscape.

The final track, “Two Worlds”, showcases Andreas Weixler’s laptop, guitar and singing bowl, as well as Se-Lien Chuang’s yangqin, voice and mouth organ in the ominous and very iconoclastic delivery that you can’t not admire.

A journey that includes composed scores and freely structured pieces that stem from ensemble improvisation, there just isn’t a moment here that’s predictable, and that’s a big part of the charm.

Travels well with: The Music Of Jeffrey Jacob- Sequoias; Rain Worthington- Passages Through Time

The Music Of Jeffrey Jacob

Sequoias

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Sequoias

The always impressive composer Jeffrey Jacob brings us a theme of the natural world and with a concern for the devastating impact of climate change across these 4 orchestral and solo piano pieces.

“Symphony No. 6 ‘Sequoias’” opens the listen with Jacob’s twinkling keys, as the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra inserts much wonder and awe into the 4 flowing, textured segments, and “Music For Strings, Percussion, And Oboe” follows with The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra’s skilled strings and firm percussion complementing Jacob’s agile piano.

The back half of the listen offers the chilling and mysterious “Two Pieces For Piano”, where Jacob’s keys alone mesmerize us, while “String Quartet No. 2” recruits The New England Quartet for a pair of cautious, graceful tracks that finish the listen with much elegance.

A listen that possesses as much beauty as the Sequoias in the forests, Jacob’s commitment to the environment is just as admirable as the creativity and delivery that populates this fascinating record.

Travels well with: Rain Worthington- Passages Through Time; Beth Mehocic- Collected Works Of Beth Mehocic

The Music Of Rain Worthington

Passages Through Time

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Passages Through Time

The inimitable composer Rain Worthington enlists an exceptional cast of musicians for this instrumental effort that touches on the universality of the human experience with an eclectic approach of ancient, medieval modality and sonorities, modernist minimalist ostinato, and classical sounds.

“Full Circle” starts the listen with the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra and Petr Nouzovský’s skilled cello making for a flowing and sublime display of string interaction, and “Night Stream” follows with Antonín Hradil, and Jakab Látal both handling violin in the stirring, poetic climate.

At the halfway point, “Balancing On The Edge Of Shadows” enlists Audrey Wright on violin and Yundu Wang contributing piano to the reflective and intimate album highlight, while “Shadows Of The Wind” recruits the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra and Ivo Fišer’s cello to a very cinematic approach.

Arriving close to the end, “Dreaming Through Fog” again makes great use of the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra as much mystery surrounds the cautious landscape, and “In Passages” exits the listen with the Croatian Chamber Orchestra alongside Mojca Ramušćak’s violin for a very articulate finish.

An extremely eloquent display of non-verbal expressions, Worthington’s craft is both powerful and delicate, and her accomplished help make these 8 compositions heartfelt and soulful.

Travels well with: Beth Mehocic- Collected Works Of Beth Mehocic; The Music Of Michael Cohen- A Song For Silenced Voices

Soft Ffog

Soft Ffog

Is It Jazz?, 2022

8/10

Listen to Soft Ffog

A Norwegian instrumental quartet who hover around jazz, prog-rock and psychedelic sounds, Soft Ffog, i.e. Tom Hasslan (guitar), Axel Skalstad (drums), Trond Frones (bass) and Vegard Lien Bjerkan (keys) bring us blistering solos, throbbing bass, wild drums and sci-fi flavored keys on this excellent first record.

The quick listen leads with the warm keys and soothing psychedelic tendencies of “Chun Li”, where crisp drums and intricate guitar work can get quite forceful and dynamic, and “Zangief” follows with a hard hitting display of playful grooves, adventurous jazz textures and a whole lot of prog-rock fun.

The back half offers the initially bare, dreamy “Ken”, which showcases glowing synth and, later on, much guitar shredding amid acrobatic drumming, while “Dhalsim” exits the listen with a frisky pace of thundering drums, chugging guitars and nearly metallic ideas that weave in and out of exciting and exploratory song craft.

Originally intended to be a one off effort, though the members all play in other bands, their collective strengths make Soft Ffog a truly unique affair and a perfect starting point for the Is It Jazz? label.

Travels well with: Datadyr- Woolgathering; Himmellegeme- Variola Vera

Eric Bolander

Can’t Get There From Here

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to Can’t Get There From Here

A singer-songwriter who straddles ideas from country, roots and Americana, Eric Bolander knows his way around vocally harmonic and musically rugged songs that seem like they were created near a mountain.

After the brief, string driven “An Opening”, “Window” follows with smooth singing, warm melodies, and soulful backing vocals as a very unique version of Americana unfolds. “Magic Moon” then gallops with a bit of guitar crunch amid the gritty yet very tuneful delivery.

Halfway through, “Beggin’ For Change” recruits some moody organ and powerful singing for the nearly gospel like setting, while “As The Night Sky Breaks” enters calmer territory with both grace and rawness entering a slight bluesy tint.

“I Wonder” arrives near the end, and soars with a dreamy, emotive quality and “Smooth Finish” exits with contributions from Abby Hamilton that helps cultivate so much beauty in the poetic, stirring and unforgettable final track.

If names like John Moreland and Earl Thomas Conley mean anything to you, Eric Bolander will be your new infatuation, cause the guy can tell a story you’ll want to hear again and again.

Travels well with: Justin Wells- The United State; John R. Miller- Depreciated

Kolonien

Till Skogen

Cumbancha, 2022

10/10

Listen to Till Skogen

The Swedish folk-pop outfit Kolonien return with a batch of anthemic, lush and worldly songs where the quartet address climate change, social media woes, community, aging and loss.

“Time Will Tell” starts the listen with bright guitars and agile strings, as the many voices emit a festive warmth, and “Drommen” follows with Anna Malmstrom’s clarinet and The Family Choir’s vocals complementing the breezy melodies and dreamy climate.

Further along, “Nattsudd” offers a calmer display of atmospheric and hazy strings, while “Farfars Jord” is full of intimate guitar playing and moody strings that complement the poetic display. “Varandra”, which is the best track present, then thumps louder amid a very stylish version of folk-rock meets indie-rock that incorporates African-Brazilian percussion.

Further down the line, “Till Skogen” hums warmly with sublime harmonizing that’s musically bare but vocally powerful, and “Unlearning” exits the listen acoustic guitar friendly and highly infectious in its adventurous delivery.

A family affair that consists of Anna Möller (strings, fiddle, vocals), Mischa Grind (percussion, organ, vocals), Erik Rask (bass, guitar, vocals) and Arvid Rask (guitar, slide, vocals), the inclusion of guests bringing along brass, winds, vocals, synth and keys helps make for a very eclectic outing that’s catchy, cultured and beaming with a rare creativity that makes this 3rd album one of the year’s best.

Travels well with: Dobet Gnahoré- Couleur; Lakou Mizik- HaitiaNola

Beth Mehocic

Collected Works Of Beth Mehocic

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Collected Works Of Beth Mehocic

A listen that spans the many different avenues of Beth Mehocic’s work, the tracks present include commissioned pieces, tone poems, and various styles all fleshed out with incredible attention to detail.

“Piece By Piece” starts the listen with strings, winds and brass interacting with much mystery as Ladislav Bilan’s frisky percussion adds much to the unpredictable, quirky climate, and “Somewhere Between D And C” follows with the Trio Casals bringing their strings and keys to the tense meets bare moments of highly calculated songwriting.

“Concerto For Piano And Orchestra” lands in the middle and is a fuller display of lush chamber sounds that benefits much from Charlene Farrugia’s skilled piano and the Croatian Chamber Orchestra, while “Left Of Winter” recruits the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra for the rumbling and cinematic swells of firm musicianship.

Near the end, “Picasso’s Flight” quivers with highly manipulated violins, violas and Zachary Reaves’ cello, and “Tango Concerto” exits the listen with the Zagreb Festival Orchestral emitting warmth via the accordion, bandoneon, piano and strings.

Tragically, this is a post-humous release as Mehocic passed away earlier this year. She leaves behind an impressive body of work that includes more than 100 works, and the pieces here serve as an important collection of a truly unique and dedicated artist.

Travels well with: The Music Of Michael Cohen- A Song For Silenced Voices; Trio Casals- Moto Finale

Border Crossing

Un milagro de fe

Bridge, 2022

8/10

Listen to Un milagro de fe

The debut recording of the Twin Cities choral ensemble Border CrosSing, these 5 pieces led by the Mexican-Egyptian conductor Ahmed Anzaldúa showcase the luminous readings of works of faith by Beatriz Bilbao, Ariel Ramirez's Misa Criolla, Mary Lou Williams's St. Martin de Porres, and selections from Osvaldo Golijov's La Pasión según San Marcos.

Beatriz Bilbao’s “Fiesta de San Juan” starts the listen with Border CrosSing’s percussion bringing a fury of drumming and percussive sounds to the gorgeous vocal harmonies in the 14+ minutes of bare and busy ideas. Ariel Ramirez’s “Misa Criolla” follows, and welcomes Matthew Valverde’s tenor and Ahmed Anzaldua’s piano to the textured, dreamy and cultured sounds.

The middle track, Mary Lou Williams’ “St. Martin de Porres”, showcases Kevin Gamble’s keys, Keith Yanes’ string bass and Nicolás Munoz’s percussion in the sublime, gospel friendly and even jazz flavored album highlight.

The final two tracks, “Eucaristía, from ‘La Pasion segun San Marcos” and “Demos Gracias”, are equally well thought out, where the former uses Bethany Battafarano’s expressive soprano for the bare climate, and the latter is initially as sparse, before building into a rumbling, nearly cinematic demeanor.

A first record that is nothing short of stunning, those with an ear for classical sounds, choral music, Latin-American ideas, and avant-garde moments will find much to adore here.

Travels well with: George Walker- Five Piano Sonatas; David Starobin- W.T. Matiegka's Six Sonatas, Op. 31

Andrew Weiss And Friends

Sunglass & Ash

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to Sunglass & Ash

A double LP from the New York power-pop, Americana outfit, Andrew Weiss and company welcome plenty of strings to their Laurel Canyon nods that populate the very genuine and often anthemic songwriting of these 24 tracks.

Disc 1 leads with the scrappy power-pop of “What’ve We Learned To Live With”, where Sara Barsky-Weiss’ backing vocals and John Venezia’s precise drumming add much to the upbeat climate, and “Tommy’s Teardrops” follows with smooth singing alongside Alex Jules’s Steinway piano and Jack Hoffman’s Moog synthesizer that benefits the more cautious landscape of nostalgic rock sounds.

Further into this portion the more intimate “Shot In The Dark” has Weiss playing Ludwig and Slingerland drums, Fender Musicmaster bass guitar, tambourine, Fender Telecaster electric guitar, Gibson ES-125 TDC electric guitar, Martin D35 acoustic guitar, Baldwin grand piano, Hammond B3 organ and handling lead and backing Vocals, while “Ha Ha (So Good They Named It Twice)” focuses on acoustic guitar and emits some folky ideas that are as timeless as they are absorbing.

“This Was A Wonderful Place” exits the first disc, and recruits Chase Potter’s violin and viola and Tiger Darrow’s cello to the ballad territory that’s quite pensive and cozy.

Disc 2 opens with “Hollywood Is Real (Forever)”, where a soulful quality enters with strings and keys interacting with much warmth, and it isn’t long until “You Had To Be There” enters with Jesse Kessler’s piano and organ prowess adding much to the crisp and diverse spirit that’s even a bit psychedelic.

Deeper still, “Love By The Numbers” is indeed a bit romantic with some grit to be found amid the breezy melodies, and “Backstage Bella/Italian Ice” exits the listen with Weiss handling all the instruments and showcasing his strong range on a diverse and tender finish.

It’s not hard to think of names like Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg or Rhett Miller when listening to Sunglass & Ash, which shouldn’t be a problem for anyone, and it just might make you a fan as quickly as it did me.

Travels well with: Mabilene- The Other Side; Brother Earl & The Cousins- Down With My Ship

Steve Boudreau

Cherished Possessions

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to Cherished Possessions

A jazz pianist from Ottawa, Steve Boudreau follows up his five-volume solo piano home project with this trio affair, where Adrian Vedady (Montréal Jazz Trio) and Jim Doxas (The Doxas Brothers) accompany him across mostly originals.

The title track leads the listen with much grace, as the keys, drums and bass interact with much beauty in a radiant jazz climate, and “Words Of Hope” continues the mature instrumentation with a dreamy, introspective and poetic album highlight that really showcases Vedady’s bass skills.

“Encumbered” occupies the middle spot and puts the focus on Boudreau’s dizzying key acrobatics, while “Go”, a Wayne Shorter tune, is a bit frisky, and pays much attention to mood amid the dynamic interaction between the three.

Near to the end, the swift and melodic “Rolling Oil” glides with a very smooth delivery, and “Charlie’s Family Reunion” exits the listen with strategic bass plucking, crisp drumming and acrobatic piano playing that you won’t soon forget.

Amazingly, Vedady and Doxas contributed their portions in a single afternoon, and it gives the album a spontaneous feel, as if you’re at a live show. Though this is Boudreau’s first trio setting of primarily originals, let’s hope it isn’t his last, especially with this line up, cause it yields some excellent modern jazz.

Travels well with: Doxas Brothers- The Circle; Montréal Jazz Trio- Montréal Jazz Trio

Carley Arrowood

Goin’ Home Comin’ On

Mountain Home 2022

8/10

Listen to Goin’ Home Comin’ On

A youngster with an incredible set of pipes and who can play a fiddle like a seasoned vet, Carley Arrowood brings along Daniel Thrailkill (harmony vocals, acoustic guitar), Autumn Watson (harmony vocals), Kristin Scott Benson (banjo), Wayne Benson (mandolin), Jon Weisberger (upright bass) and Paul Watson (upright and electric bass) to these exceptional bluegrass tunes.

The title track opens the listen with Arrowood’s finger acrobatics, as her warm pipes guide the fiddle focused climate, and “Letting Go Now” follows with Benson’s agile banjo complementing the intimate and very melodic string prowess.

Further on, the timeless bluegrass ideas of “I’m Still Broken” unfold with gorgeous harmony vocals amid a swift pace, while “Dancing In The Rain” trims the setting back to sublime balladry with a very poetic, even stirring quality.

Deeper into the listen, “You Are Mine” enters melancholic territory with its introspective wordplay and gospel spirit, and “Will You Be Leavin’” exits the listen with very speedy musicianship that’s paired with Arrowood’s expressive pipes that benefit much from soaring vocal harmonies.

An artist who embraces both traditional and contemporary styles of her craft, Arrowood plays with a heartfelt, genuine and accomplished skillset, and it makes for an extremely well done debut album.

Travels well with: The Grascals- Up All Night; Chuck Wagon Gang- Radio Days

David Starobin

W.T. Matiegka's Six Sonatas, Op. 31

Bridge, 2022

8/10

Listen to W.T. Matiegka's Six Sonatas, Op. 31

The esteemed guitarist David Starobin interprets Wenzel Thomas Matiegka’s Six Sonatas, Op. 31 here, and it’s an expressive and articulate venture where his classical guitar skills are quite luminous on this final studio recording from the 70 year old.

“Sonata No. 1 In C Major, Op. 31, No. 1” opens the listen with 3 segments that flows with incredible dexterity, as Starobin manipulates the stings with awe inspiring melodies and much warmth, and “Sonata No. 2 In A Minor, Op. 31, No. 2” follows with both intimacy and adventurousness populating the precise playing.

The middle tracks, “Sonata No. 3 In G Major, Op. 31, No. 3” and “Sonata No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 31, No. 4”, continue with a similar approach of a dancing spirit that’s highly technical and quite captivating in its inimitable prowess.

The final track, “Sonata No. 6 In B Minor, Op. 31, No. 6”, exits with some of the most firm playing that showcases the lifetime of experience that Starobin possesses with his craft.

It’s certainly no surprise that Starobin has been Grammy nominated 4 times, and this delivery is artistic and profound and puts a very fitting exclamation point on a career that few will ever parallel.

Travels well with: Stephen Jaffe- The Music Of Stephen Jaffe, Vol. 4; George Walker- Five Piano Sonatas

David Loeb

Between Sea And Sky

Furious Artisans, 2022

8/10

Listen to Between Sea And Sky

An educator, writer, musician and composer, the multi-talented David Loeb brings us compositions dating as far back as 1978 here, and he’s got some exceptional help with him for the unique chamber experience.

“Five Fantasies For The Japanese Consort” opens the listen with the Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort displaying incredible string interaction across the 5 segments that also welcomes unorthodox percussive sounds, and “Fantasia On A Rondeau Of Dufay” follows with calm, intimate guitars from Vilian Ivantchev and Daniel Lewis.

Further on, in “Yaku (Night Crossroads)”, Kohei Nishikawa’s flute and shinobue skills shine in the very meticulous, moody piece, while “Arrieta” welcomes Terry Chaplin’s guitar and Sabena Torosjian’s violin to a very stirring, soothing album highlight.

The title track arrives near the end, and showcases the sublime talent of the Six Hand Guitar Trio in the very precise execution, and The Netherlands Clarinet Quartet populate the final track, “Het Nieuwe Madrigaalboek”, and showcases an incredible wind performance that is so well done, it alone is worth the price of admission.

A very diverse body of work, classical, orchestral and chamber ideas are all in attendance, and it’s no surprise that over 100 of Loeb’s compositions have graced 20+ records. Now well into his 80’s, his work is clearly not showing any signs of wavering, as evidenced by this exceptional listen.

Travels well with: Michael Leonhart Orchestra- The Normyn Suites; The Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Chicago

Rich Pellegrin

Passage

OA2, 2022

8/10

Listen to Passage

The esteemed pianist Rich Pellegrin recorded this batch of tunes at the Whidbey Island’s Langley Methodist Church, and he certainly embraces the aura of the setting where he connects with water, mountains and forest across these solo pieces.

Set One leads with 9 warm, graceful segments that lay the foundation for a very reflective mood, as much intimacy is present versus swifter moments of adventurous manipulation of the keys.

Set Two lands in the middle, and leads with the dynamic, dizzying “Improvisation X”, and it’s not long until the very poetic and mature “Improvisation XII” emits much beauty in its meticulous nature. “Improvisation XX” exits this portion, and is full of cryptic atmosphere that’s quite curious in its creative execution.

Set Three is quite captivating, where the dreamy keys of “Improvisation XXI” leads into the firm and complex structure of “Improvisation XXII”. The final track, “Improvisation XXX”, finishes the listen, and is full of timeless melody, precise finger acrobatics and a very soothing appeal.

A truly stunning display of piano prowess, Pellegrin pays much attention to mood, demeanor and cinematic ideas across these very well thought out compositions that anyone with an ear for the piano will adore.

Travels well with: Idit Shner & Mhondoro- Heat Wave; Hal Galper Trio- Invitation To Openness

Lightnin' Hopkins

Lightnin’ Hopkins In New York

Candid, 2022

8/10

Listen to Lightnin’ Hopkins In New York

Recorded on November 15, 1960 at the Nola Penthouse Sound Studios in New York, the inimitable blues man Lightnin’ Hopkins is in peak form on this display of 8 unaccompanied solo tracks where he plays guitar, piano and vocals.

“Take It Easy” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar and Hopkins’ soft, distinct vocals that deliver eloquent blues alongside agile keys, and ‘Mighty Crazy” follows with a quicker spirit of vivid storytelling and a subtle melody.

In the middle, “I’ve Had My Fun If I Don’t Get Well This Morning” showcases Hopkins’ wise and gritty singing amid the light guitar, while “The Trouble Blues” is vocally more firm and musically quite alluring in Hopkins’ timeless vision.

Rounding out the listen is the poetic and bare “Wonder Why”, and “Mister Charlie” exits the affair with a long spoken introduction before the fluid and raw finish.

Laid down during a time when Hopkins was being “rediscovered” by white audiences, any uncomfortableness he may have felt playing for those audiences isn’t apparent as he plays with sincerity, ruggedness and his very distinct style that’s just as relevant today as it was in 1961 when this was originally released.

The album sounds better than ever here, where it’s remastered from the original masters, and includes new liner notes by Nat Hentoff.

Travels well with: Otis Spann- Otis Spann Is The Blues; Charles Mingus- Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

Kacy & Clayton

Carrying On

New West, 2019

8/10

Listen to Carrying On

A duo from a very remote place in Saskatchewan, Kacy & Clayton incorporate the folk, blues and country sounds from their hometown into a very rich and authentic listen on this 5th album.

“The Forty-Ninth Parallel” starts the listen with pretty, expressive singing from Kacy on the soaring ‘70s influenced setting, and “Carrying On’ continues both members contributing vocals on the key friendly, spirited affair.

Elsewhere, “In A Time Of Doubt” flows with playful rhythm in the retro fun, while the bluesy love song “Intervention” offers tumbling percussion amid the harmonic atmosphere. “Providence Place”, the album highlight, finds haze and melody weaved into the ruggedness and darker themed subject matter.

Near the end, “Spare Me Over One More Year” finds a comfortable place to reside alongside country sounds and “That Sweet Orchestra Sound” exits the listen with a breeziness that brings in Charlie McCoy on bass harmonica as Clayton’s guitar work remains proficient.

Recorded mostly as live takes and with few overdubs, Jeff Tweedy turned the knobs on this one, and helped truly capture the mountain-esque and most intense song craft from the pair that we have yet to hear. While there’s a more obvious twang in their formula this time around, it’s delivered flawlessly and with a captivating quality that we’ve come to expect from these cousins.

Travels well with: Wild Rivers- Eighty Eight; The Deslondes- The Deslondes